The technical aspects of oil spill remote sensing are examined and the practical uses and drawbacks of each technology are given with a focus on unfolding technology. The use of visible techniques is ...ubiquitous, but limited to certain observational conditions and simple applications. Infrared cameras offer some potential as oil spill sensors but have several limitations. Both techniques, although limited in capability, are widely used because of their increasing economy. The laser fluorosensor uniquely detects oil on substrates that include shoreline, water, soil, plants, ice, and snow. New commercial units have come out in the last few years. Radar detects calm areas on water and thus oil on water, because oil will reduce capillary waves on a water surface given moderate winds. Radar provides a unique option for wide area surveillance, all day or night and rainy/cloudy weather. Satellite-carried radars with their frequent overpass and high spatial resolution make these day-night and all-weather sensors essential for delineating both large spills and monitoring ship and platform oil discharges. Most strategic oil spill mapping is now being carried out using radar. Slick thickness measurements have been sought for many years. The operative technique at this time is the passive microwave. New techniques for calibration and verification have made these instruments more reliable.
ABSTRACT Recent analyses have shown that distant orbits within the scattered disk population of the Kuiper Belt exhibit an unexpected clustering in their respective arguments of perihelion. While ...several hypotheses have been put forward to explain this alignment, to date, a theoretical model that can successfully account for the observations remains elusive. In this work we show that the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) cluster not only in argument of perihelion, but also in physical space. We demonstrate that the perihelion positions and orbital planes of the objects are tightly confined and that such a clustering has only a probability of 0.007% to be due to chance, thus requiring a dynamical origin. We find that the observed orbital alignment can be maintained by a distant eccentric planet with mass 10 m⊕ whose orbit lies in approximately the same plane as those of the distant KBOs, but whose perihelion is 180° away from the perihelia of the minor bodies. In addition to accounting for the observed orbital alignment, the existence of such a planet naturally explains the presence of high-perihelion Sedna-like objects, as well as the known collection of high semimajor axis objects with inclinations between 60° and 150° whose origin was previously unclear. Continued analysis of both distant and highly inclined outer solar system objects provides the opportunity for testing our hypothesis as well as further constraining the orbital elements and mass of the distant planet.
Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) readily transform in the environment, which modifies their properties and alters their transport, fate, and toxicity. It is essential to consider such transformations ...when assessing the potential environmental impact of Ag-NPs. This review discusses the major transformation processes of Ag-NPs in various aqueous environments, particularly transformations of the metallic Ag cores caused by reactions with (in)organic ligands, and the effects of such transformations on physical and chemical stability and toxicity. Thermodynamic arguments are used to predict what forms of oxidized silver will predominate in various environmental scenarios. Silver binds strongly to sulfur (both organic and inorganic) in natural systems (fresh and sea waters) as well as in wastewater treatment plants, where most Ag-NPs are expected to be concentrated and then released. Sulfidation of Ag-NPs results in a significant decrease in their toxicity due to the lower solubility of silver sulfide, potentially limiting their short-term environmental impact. This review also discusses some of the major unanswered questions about Ag-NPs, which, when answered, will improve predictions about their potential environmental impacts. Research needed to address these questions includes fundamental molecular-level studies of Ag-NPs and their transformation products, particularly Ag2S-NPs, in simplified model systems containing common (in)organic ligands, as well as under more realistic environmental conditions using microcosm/mesocosm-type experiments. Toxicology studies of Ag-NP transformation products, including different states of aggregation and sulfidation, are also required. In addition, there is the need to characterize the surface structures, compositions, and morphologies of Ag-NPs and Ag2S-NPs to the extent possible because they control properties such as solubility and reactivity.
Hydrogels mimic many of the physical properties of soft tissue and are widely used biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Synthetic hydrogels have been developed to ...recapitulate many of the healthy and diseased states of native tissues and can be used as a cell scaffold to study the effect of matricellular interactions in vitro. However, these matrices often fail to capture the dynamic and heterogenous nature of the in vivo environment, which varies spatially and during events such as development and disease. To address this deficiency, a variety of manufacturing and processing techniques are being adapted to the biomaterials setting. Among these, photochemistry is particularly well suited because these reactions can be performed in precise three-dimensional space and at specific moments in time. This spatiotemporal control over chemical reactions can also be performed over a range of cell- and tissue-relevant length scales with reactions that proceed efficiently and harmlessly at ambient conditions. This review will focus on the use of photochemical reactions to create dynamic hydrogel environments, and how these dynamic environments are being used to investigate and direct cell behavior.
The United States is in the midst of a devastating opioid misuse epidemic leading to over 33,000 deaths per year from both prescription and illegal opioids. Roughly half of these deaths are ...attributable to prescription opioids. Federal and state governments have only recently begun to grasp the magnitude of this public health crisis. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. While not comprehensive in scope, these guidelines attempt to control and regulate opioid prescribing. Other federal agencies involved with the federal regulatory effort include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the Department of Justice. Each federal agency has a unique role in helping to stem the burgeoning opioid misuse epidemic. The DEA, working with the Department of Justice, has enforcement power to prosecute pill mills and physicians for illegal prescribing. The DEA could also implement use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), currently administered at the state level, and use of electronic prescribing for schedule II and III medications. The FDA has authority to approve new and safer formulations of immediate- and long-acting opioid medications. More importantly, the FDA can also ask pharmaceutical companies to cease manufacturing a drug. Additionally, state agencies play a critical role in reducing overdose deaths, protecting the public safety, and promoting the medically appropriate treatment of pain. One of the states' primary roles is the regulation of practice of medicine and the insurance industry within their borders. Utilizing this authority, states can both educate physicians about the dangers of opioids and make physician licensure dependent on registering and using PDMPs when prescribing controlled substances. Almost every state has implemented a PDMP to some degree; however, in addition to mandating their use, increased interstate sharing of prescription information would greatly improve PDMPs' effectiveness. Further, states have the flexibility to promote innovative interventions to reduce harm such as legislation allowing naloxone access without a prescription. While relatively new, these types of laws have allowed first responders, patients, and families access to a lifesaving drug. Finally, states are at the forefront of litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers. This approach is described as analogous to the initial steps in fighting tobacco companies. In addition to fighting for dollars to support drug treatment programs and education efforts, states are pursuing these lawsuits as a means of holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for misleading marketing of a dangerous product.
Ryanodine receptors (RyR) are essential regulators of cellular calcium homeostasis and signaling. Vertebrate genomes contain multiple RyR gene isoforms, expressed in different tissues and executing ...different functions. In contrast, invertebrate genomes contain a single RyR-encoding gene and it has long been proposed that different transcripts generated by alternative splicing may diversify their functions. Here, we analyze the expression and function of alternative exons in the C. elegans RyR gene unc-68. We show that specific isoform subsets are created via alternative promoters and via alternative splicing in unc-68 Divergent Region 2 (DR2), which actually corresponds to a region of high sequence variability across vertebrate isoforms. The expression of specific unc-68 alternative exons is enriched in different tissues, such as in body wall muscle, neurons and pharyngeal muscle. In order to infer the function of specific alternative promoters and alternative exons of unc-68, we selectively deleted them by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. We evaluated pharyngeal function, as well as locomotor function in swimming and crawling with high-content computer-assisted postural and behavioral analysis. Our data provide a comprehensive map of the pleiotropic impact of isoform-specific mutations and highlight that tissue-specific unc-68 isoforms fulfill distinct functions. As a whole, our work clarifies how the C. elegans single RyR gene unc-68 can fulfill multiple tasks through tissue-specific isoforms, and provide a solid foundation to further develop C. elegans as a model to study RyR channel functions and malfunctions.
Blood clots and thrombi consist primarily of a mesh of branched fibers made of the protein fibrin. We propose a molecular basis for the marked extensibility and negative compressibility of fibrin ...gels based on the structural and mechanical properties of clots at the network, fiber, and molecular levels. The force required to stretch a clot initially rises linearly and is accompanied by a dramatic decrease in clot volume and a peak in compressibility. These macroscopic transitions are accompanied by fiber alignment and bundling after forced protein unfolding. Constitutive models are developed to integrate observations at spatial scales that span six orders of magnitude and indicate that gel extensibility and expulsion of water are both manifestations of protein unfolding, which is not apparent in other matrix proteins such as collagen.
Environmental Speciation of Actinides Maher, Kate; Bargar, John R; Brown, Gordon E
Inorganic chemistry,
04/2013, Volume:
52, Issue:
7
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Although minor in abundance in Earth’s crust (U, 2–4 ppm; Th, 10–15 ppm) and in seawater (U, 0.003 ppm; Th, 0.0007 ppm), light actinides (Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, Am, and Cm) are important environmental ...contaminants associated with anthropogenic activities such as the mining and milling of uranium ores, generation of nuclear energy, and storage of legacy waste resulting from the manufacturing and testing of nuclear weapons. In this review, we discuss the abundance, production, and environmental sources of naturally occurring and some man-made light actinides. As is the case with other environmental contaminants, the solubility, transport properties, bioavailability, and toxicity of actinides are dependent on their speciation (composition, oxidation state, molecular-level structure, and nature of the phase in which the contaminant element or molecule occurs). We review the aqueous speciation of U, Np, and Pu as a function of pH and Eh, their interaction with common inorganic and organic ligands in natural waters, and some of the common U-containing minerals. We also discuss the interaction of U, Np, Pu, and Am solution complexes with common Earth materials, including minerals, colloids, gels, natural organic matter (NOM), and microbial organisms, based on simplified model system studies. These surface interactions can inhibit (e.g., sorption to mineral surfaces, formation of insoluble biominerals) or enhance (e.g., colloid-facilitated transport) the dispersal of light actinides in the biosphere and in some cases (e.g., interaction with dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, NOM, or Mn- and Fe-containing minerals) can modify the oxidation states and, consequently, the behavior of redox-sensitive light actinides (U, Np, and Pu). Finally, we review the speciation of U and Pu, their chemical transformations, and cleanup histories at several U.S. Department of Energy field sites that have been used to mill U ores, produce fissile materials for reactors and weapons, and store high-level nuclear waste from both civilian and defense operations, including Hanford, WA; Rifle, CO; Oak Ridge, TN; Fernald, OH; Fry Canyon, UT; and Rocky Flats, CO.
The natural nanomineral ferrihydrite is an important component of many environmental and soil systems and has been implicated as the inorganic core of ferritin in biological systems. Knowledge of its ...basic structure, composition, and extent of structural disorder is essential for understanding its reactivity, stability, and magnetic behavior, as well as changes in these properties during aging. Here we investigate compositional, structural, and magnetic changes that occur upon aging of "2-line" ferrihydrite in the presence of adsorbed citrate at elevated temperature. Whereas aging under these conditions ultimately results in the formation of hematite, analysis of the atomic pair distribution function and complementary physicochemical and magnetic data indicate formation of an intermediate ferrihydrite phase of larger particle size with few defects, more structural relaxation and electron spin ordering, and pronounced ferrimagnetism relative to its disordered ferrihydrite precursor. Our results represent an important conceptual advance in understanding the nature of structural disorder in ferrihydrite and its relation to the magnetic structure and also serve to validate a controversial, recently proposed structural model for this phase. In addition, the pathway we identify for forming ferrimagnetic ferrihydrite potentially explains the magnetic enhancement that typically precedes formation of hematite in aerobic soil and weathering environments. Such magnetic enhancement has been attributed to the formation of poorly understood, nano-sized ferrimagnets from a ferrihydrite precursor. Whereas elevated temperatures drive the transformation on timescales feasible for laboratory studies, our results also suggest that ferrimagnetic ferrihydrite could form naturally at ambient temperature given sufficient time.
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